Labs always make me smile...they are just so happy - it's contagious! I had a wonderful time on Siesta Key yesterday morning with Riley and his family. It really was a case of perfect dog, perfect location!
Riley is loved by a big family that happens to be located all over the country. I really hope that they enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!
Hard to believe with a puppy face like this, but Riley is 11 years young! He was such a gentleman. Here are just a few of my favorites...
Seriously, how could I not fall in love with a handsome yellow Lab who happens to have some awesome carrot balancing and catching talent? Meet Riley - more pics of this extremely sweet boy coming soon...
I'm very excited to announce the arrival of fine art photography murals to the Simply Spotted collection!
These murals are absolutely gorgeous! The image is printed on brushed aluminum tiles which adds a very cool texture and gives the overall piece a very fun and modern look.
The example below (featuring Peyton) is 24"x24", but larger sizes are also available. The photo just doesn't do these murals justice - I'm in love! :)
Peyton's birthday treat was frozen yogurt with some peanut butter. Really the PB was for me...I *love* me some PB faces! He thought it was all very yummy, but says that he really wanted a cake like his friend Tess got for her birthday. *Sigh* doesn't it stink when another dog-mom is cooler than you? :)
Anyway, here are a couple PB faces - I've got some more that I'll share later. Today was bath day for the spotties (much to Peyton's dismay) and I'm exhausted!
Peyton is really upset that his birthday is over! He thinks birthday parties should last forever - especially when presents and peanut butter are involved...
Hard to believe, but today we're celebrating Peyton's third birthday! We really don't know the exact date he was born, but since I'm all about easy dates to remember, I chose 4/24/06 as the (somewhat) official date. :)
Hopefully we're now well beyond the terrible twos and can look forward to some terrific threes! Here are a few of my favorite puppy pics of the little spotted monkey with his big sister Indy...
Awww, aren't they cuuuute!? The spotties will be partying tonight! :)
Since last night was the first night of my Control Unleashed class this session, and since I have a few agility friends who have been feeling slightly discouraged lately, I thought it would be helpful to share a little video that will hopefully bring a few smiles, and more importantly, some encouragement when it comes to agility training.
Even coming off a great weekend of trialing, I know that Peyton and I still have a long way to go when it comes to working together as a team. But I have to say that most the progress that we have made over the last year can be attributed to Leslie McDevitt and her Control Unleashed program. It's made a huge difference in the way I think about training, and I sincerely hope that it helps my students as well.
All of the clips in this video are from the past year, and some of them were filmed less than 6 months ago! I still can't get over how far Peyton has come! Please note: No goldens were harmed in the making of this video. :)
Oh and I absolutely have to add another *big* thanks to our instructors and friends for being so patient and putting up with us in class! :)
For more information on Control Unleashed, please visit Leslie's website at www.controlunleashed.net/. Also, you can purchase her book and/or DVD (which is awesome by the way!) at www.cleanrun.com/.
Here is the latest ribbon project that my mom completed - a quilted bag made from some Indy's agility trial ribbons. I *love* it! It is made out of a heavy duty canvas material and is fully lined with an adorable spotty dog print. Here are a few pictures...
The lining - spotty dogs, how perfect!
I think this is going to be the perfect bag to take along to trials! I used it this past weekend and got so many nice compliments. I know a few said that it was too pretty to use, but seriously(!) we might as well admire these little shiny ribbons considering the amount of time and effort put forth to try and earn them! :)
I've already chatted with a few friends who would like to have some custom projects made - if anyone else is interested, please contact me with your ideas!
I didn't think we would be so lucky to have a day like yesterday, but I was wrong - today was even better! Peyton got his third leg needed for his novice regular agility title - he is now Peyton Spots A Flyin', CGCNAC! That was his only Q today, but he was actually more focused than yesterday - not a single little zoomie and almost all of our bobbles were pretty much my doing.
Here's today's recap...
Novice Jumpers: I was behind from the start and Peyton took an off-course tunnel. In hindsight I probably should have started with him on my left and rear crossed jump 4. This is just one example of several this weekend where a lead out would have been so nice...hopefully we can start working on those soon!
Novice Regular Round 1: I really had a hard time trying to come up with a plan for the start of this course since there was 2 jumps followed by a dog-walk/tunnel discrimination. I settled for a rear cross in between 1 and 2 so that I could (hopefully) show appropriate motion to the tunnel. It was tricky, but it worked! I was of course way behind for the jump following the tunnel, but we worked it out and Peyton qualified on this run with a first place and came in 20 seconds under time!
Novice Regular Round 2: This was another great run - we got the dog-walk discrimination near the end, but he knocked a bar and then I (again) ended up too far behind and he took a tunnel instead of the last jump. This video ended up on a friend's camera so hopefully I can post it later.
Novice Tunnelers: A wild run! At this point my brain was toast! :) I was waaaay too far behind him to give good direction, but I think we both had fun - it was a wild end to a great weekend!
Indy also had a great day - she ended up qualifying in elite chances and elite tunnelers. We had a nice jumpers run going until I got lost (oops!) and would have qualified in weavers but she popped out at the 10th pole. This pole popping still has me stumped since she is usually such a consistent weaver, but I'm not going to worry about it too much. Indy is also back to her smug self since she had two Q's today and Peyton only had one. :) Here's a little video...
Whew, what a weekend! I still can't get over how great Peyton did, and am so happy that he did so well at this location since it provides a lot of future trialing opportunities. I'm also thrilled that he nailed all of his contacts today and I was actually happy to see him check in with me when I fell behind - it showed that he was really paying attention! Again - wow. But most important of all, I really think Peyton was having a blast...he practically dragged me into the ring for each run! It was also great to see Indy running with enthusiasm again! I think this weekend was just what she needed...no contacts, just lots of running!
Well, the spotties and I are exhausted, but want to again thank all of our friends for your support and good vibes...now we're *really* looking forward to our next trial! :)
Well almost...Peyton got his first Q today! Better yet, Peyton got *three* Q's today along with a first and second place! Woot! :) He did awesome! And if I wasn't still in total shock (and very tired), I would probably be in tears...I'm so proud of my spotty boy. I couldn't have asked for more from him and he totally exceeded my expectations. Here's a little recap...
Novice Jumpers: A little wild off the start, but I got him back and had I not set him up really badly for a jump he might have even Q'd.
Novice Weavers: Peyton bypassed the first set of weaves coming out of the opening tunnel, but I got him back and he rocked the rest of the course. A very nice run with a Q and second place!
Novice Regular Round 1: A few wild moments - he didn't stop for his first a-frame contact, but he nailed the next two. We ended up with a Q and still a few seconds under time despite the extra running around.
Novice Regular Round 2: A perfect run for spotty boy - a Q and first place! Awesome contacts and weaves. Wow. Wow. Wow.
Needless to say I am on cloud 9 at the moment! It was a great day and we had a great time hanging out with our friends. I think all of the SOTC dogs did great and I am so appreciative of all of the kind words and support. I was so worried the Peyton might run out of the ring near the end since the jumps were so close so I had asked some friends to hang out there, but I don't think he even thought about it!
Indy also had a great day! I ended running her in three classes - our only Q was in elite jumpers, but overall she ran fast and happy - just what I was hoping for!
Again, I can't get over how great Peyton did today. I'm not sure what tomorrow will be like, but at this point - I don't care! Hopefully we'll have as much fun as we did today...any Q's would be icing on the cake! :)
This weekend we'll be playing at the Cool Critters NADAC trial in Palmetto! This is Peyton's first trial at this location and I'm a little nervous/excited/anxious to see how it goes. The trial itself is a little bigger than what we usually see in Ocala with two rings running at the same time, and there's generally a lot more distractions. *Breathe* Kim...
We've had a little break this week from our usual classes, but did get in some practice time. Our advanced handling seminar/class was Wednesday and we worked through some really difficult courses - we were definitely in over our heads, but did manage a few moments of brilliance. One change that I'm starting to see is that Peyton is really trying to please and even when we're struggling, I'm not losing him to the environment. That's great progress for my spotty boy. Oh and I've been sneaking back in some start-line stays and he's handling them great!
Peyton has 4 runs each day so this will hopefully be another great training opportunity. My game plan for this trial is pretty much the same as it was for our last trial, although I do realize this environment might be a little more challenging for him. One thing I really need to remember this time is to provide more handling support. I have to remember that at this point I'm not going to get the same responses to my cues in a trial as I do in class - in other words, I really need to *work*!
Indy also has 4 runs each day, but this time I've decided to not enter her in any classes with contacts. I really want her to have fun this weekend and since she can be a little iffy about "foreign" dog-walks, I'm not even going to take the chance of her getting stressed over it.
I came across this picture today - it was taken last year around this time when we were taking a Control Unleashed class up at Courteous Canines in north Tampa. It was a really timely reminder of how far Peyton has come. A year ago Peyton could barely do anything off-leash...in fact, I'm pretty sure he took off zooming right after this was taken. :) So no matter how we do this weekend, I'm really proud of my little spotted monkey.
Of course, good vibes from my online friends are always much appreciated! :)
Yesterday I learned that the AKC is adopting a program for mixed breed dogs. While this is something that has been discussed and debated for several years, I have to say I was rather surprised to see this announcement so soon.
In a nutshell, this program will allow mixed breeds to be registered with AKC with a mixed breed designation effective October 1, 2009. Effective April 1, 2010, mixed breeds will be allowed to compete in AKC agility, rally, and obedience events. The kicker here is that the mixed breeds will compete in separate class divisions from the purebreds and will earn different titles. They will also not be eligible for National championships or invitational events - If you are interested in the specifics, please click here to learn more.
While I have mixed emotions on the subject in general, I think this could be a good program - at least for me personally. We have so many AKC trials in this area - many within a 20 minute drive. I would love the opportunity to trial so close to home, and while I'm perfectly happy to compete with Indy in NADAC or USDAA, there just aren't many trials that are as convenient. Not to mention the fact that most of our friends trial in AKC. For us as a team, I really don't care about the titles or the fact that they would come with a "mixed" designation...I would just like the opportunity to play the same game as everyone else...if I *choose* to do so.
I know that this new program will have a lot of folks upset - and while I find the whole "separate but equal" notion rather humorous, I view it as an opportunity - take it or leave it...but at least we will hopefully have the option to participate if we choose. I say hopefully because ultimately it will be up to the clubs who put on the trials to decide whether or not to allow the mixed breeds. I do hope that the clubs will welcome this program - I'm sure there is some concern that this would take away opportunities for the purebreds, but at least in my area, I don't think this will be a big issue. For example, in this weekend's NADAC trial out of the 114 dogs entered, only 8 are "All-American" (including Indy). And I've been to some trials where Indy has been the only mixed breed entered. I could go on, as there are a lot more heated opinions regarding AKC and this topic in general, but for now I'll just say that on paper it looks good to me. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it plays out. In the meantime, we're having a lot of fun with the idea that Indy will soon be able to ride the "AKC bus" even if it means we might have to sit in the very back. ;)
Speaking of Indy, here's some recent pictures of my favorite spotted mutt!
Peyton was *so* excited when he found out that the Easter bunny was in town!
But he was really disappointed to learn that there wasn't going to be a *real* bunny coming to our house...
I tried to cheer him up with a flower...
By now Pongo knows that there is no Easter bunny and thinks bunny ears are for young ignorant spotties that don't know any better.
Although I tried to tell him that he looks very handsome in bunny ears...
Indy was *not* at all happy being a bunny.
Unfortunately her cute little Easter hat didn't quite fit her peanut head...
But she looked awfully cute for the two seconds it stayed on. :)
And finally, here's poor Peyton *still* waiting for the Easter bunny to show up. Think I should tell him that he probably had him for dinner a while back? ;)
Hope everyone had a great Easter! And if you see the Easter bunny, please send him to our house - Peyton will thank you. :)
Squirrels...one of the many benefits of living under a canopy of oak trees. I'm not sure what they enjoy more - the all-you-can-eat orange tree buffet OR tormenting the spotties (I'm pretty certain it's the latter!). Of course I have to reference one of my favorite Peyton boing! shots here... :)
I have to say we have some really scrawny looking squirrels here in Florida!
I've deciding that my newest goal for team Peyton is to really start pushing for speed when we practice. While I try to never *discourage* speed, I've really not asked for too much up to this point. I realized after our last trial that I really need to work on handling Peyton with more speed or I'm never going to be comfortable running him at a trial environment when he's extra amped and when we're faced with novice courses with lots of long lines. :)
I always joke with my classes that they need to spend less time admiring their dogs on course and just *run*...I have to admit though, I'm guilty of the same. Because I tend to be very analytical, somewhat of a perfectionist, and spend way too much time obsessing over the little details (surprised?), I sometimes forget to just let go of it all and just run! So, long story short - I'm going to work on this and hopefully it will help me to be a little more prepared and confident when we trial. Not that Peyton doesn't have nice speed as it is, but I have to say when he's really *moving* I often find myself a little dizzy and totally incompetent when it comes to handling! :)
This week wasn't the best week to work on speed as we had several short, tight sequences in class, but Peyton did handle them pretty well. I do love how well he responds to me being ahead - he really does seem to find another gear! The only exercise we really struggled with was the last one I have included in our video of the week - it was just yucky (sorry Lisa!) and featured a couple of challenging 270's which I think would have been best handled with rear crosses, but we just couldn't quite work them out. On one attempt I did manage to get in a front cross, and it wasn't very pretty - but look at Peyton *move*!
On a somewhat related note, hopefully those of you who signed up for Susan Garrett's newsletter received her first podcast today. And if you're not signed up yet, you can still do so at www.clickerdogs.com/. Although I think I qualify for what she considers the 2 in 30 *most* of the time, her podcast was a great reminder of the power of reinforcement. I also really enjoyed her recent post on gratitude which you can read at www.susangarrett.wordpress.com/.
Today I am thankful for those wonderful instructors, both local and international, who take the time to share their experience and insight with others. :)
My super awesome talented mom made me the coolest ribbon quilt and pillow from some of my old horse show ribbons! The pictures really do not do them justice, but I thought I would share...
These were both made as "practice" quilts, as we've been discussing various ideas for projects using all of Indy's agility ribbons. I have to say it was really neat to see some of the many ribbons that have been boxed up in storage for 10+ years. Some of them even had the dates on them - the one below is from 1987!
Ribbons are a lot of fun, but when they start to collect, space becomes an issue (but hey, we are *not* complaining!) - I've always loved the idea of ribbon quilts and I'm so lucky to have a talented mom who happens to love to sew! We've got a couple other cool designs in mind so hopefully I'll be posting some more fun projects soon.
I'm trying to convince her that with all of my dog and horse show friends, she could probably do some other fun custom projects! If anyone is interested, please let me know. :)
I'm running just a little behind, but wanted to share a few pics from last weekend's Paws In Motion Walk-a-thon. This fun event brought in more than $27,000 for the Humane Society of Manatee County - hooray!
Indy was *so* excited!
Check out the biggest spotty dog ever...
Indy was skeptical...she says spotty dogs aren't supposed to have long brown ponytails on the back of their heads. :)
There were lots of cuuuute dogs, including a few puppies - *squeal* - look at those eyes! :)
Fun! Again, Indy sends big "thank-woos" to our supporters!
A friendly reminder - all content and images on this blog (unless otherwise stated) are my property and cannot be reproduced without written permission. Any reproduction is a violation of copyright law. Thanks for stopping by!
Posts
